But for Jenkyns the glorious end had come, and sword in hand he
fell, some seventy paces out, a lasting honour to the great Civil
Service of India. Yet on went Hamilton and his dwindling band, and
taking no denial, stayed not by bullet nor sword nor bayonet, again
captured the guns. And then began again the dreadful heart-straining
struggle of desperate men set to a task too great. Again with splendid
effort they dragged the guns a few yards, and again the great returning
wave engulfed them, and fighting foot by foot the Guides were again
driven back.
And now the flames had got strong hold of the buildings, and here and
there the roofs fell in, and dead and dying were entombed together. So
the few survivors driven from end to end found last refuge in the
_hamam_, or bath, which, being below the surface of the ground and built
of solid brick, gave welcome shelter. But even so death was but a
question of hours or minutes, and neither Hamilton nor his men were of
the sort to sit tamely down to wait for it. Taking rest for awhile from
the exhaustion of seven hours of this Homeric struggle, the undefeated
Hamilton again laid his plans. "Now two or three," said he, "will fire
from here, so as to try to keep down the fire on our assaulting party,
while the rest dash out again. Arrived at the guns, I alone will face
the enemy, while all of you, paying no heed to the fighting, will
harness yourselves to one gun and bring it in.
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